Just in time for the end of the world's financial system come the words we thought we would never read. The missing Link in Brockley's commercial eco-system may be on its way.

From reader Colin:

"I live on Brockley road and yesterday had a letter through from Lewisham planning advising us that planning permission had been sought for a cash machine outside Brockley post office. Certainly won't be any objections from me, it's about time we had had our own cash point, let's just hope they aren't going to charge for withdrawals like the one in costcutter."

It will almost certainly be a paying one. Most non paying ones are either attached to or at least affiliated with a bank. Not sure if there is anyway of finding out before the application goes through.

I know their are cash machines a short hop from Brockley Cross but I'm far too disorganised and lazy. A free one would be a real boon. Also, is it just me or are fee charging machines more prevalent in less affluent areas?

the crofton park PO has a new cashpoint - its bank of ireland (i think), and its definitely free. which means crofton park has 2 free cash points and cash back from co op while poor ol' brockley cross only has 2 cash points which charge.

Doesn't matter anyway, we'll all be foraging for roots and berries to survive at this rate. Bet Ray Mears is laughing now, all he needs is a few old sticks and a pen knife and he can live like a king.....if fact RAY MEARS FOR PM!!!

While we're on the subject, there are a couple of naughty machines in the area - the one in the Esso garage and the one on the high street in Ladywell both give off the appearance of being free machines when in fact they both charge. At least you know where you stand with the stand-up units in corner shops.

I did manage to track down the owners of that Essso ATM, and get my money back (1.50). That was nearly two years ago and I forgot to cash the cheque! (Ive still got it.) The machine is clearly misleading and you shoudl demand your money back.

@ Anon 10.27 Do you mean on Mantle Road? 209 - 211, which used to be a halfway house, is being turned in to a "greengrocer and some other bits" according to the people that have been doing it up. Often see people from Broca in there so I assume there is some link. If that is not what you are asking about then I have no idea.

Dan, yes. This is the long awaited West side coffee shop/Wholefoods shop. A green grocers would be welcome too. Anything to improve that frontage and bring life to the area. I've noticed they've been doing a lot of their work at night so nothing appears to be changing much from the outside so far. I too have heard that the lady from the Broca is behind it.

Nick, surely time for an interview and an article? A new shop has to be news worthy?Great new though.Mike C

Indeed, some westside coverage would be good. The comminuty project to build a flower bed by Frendsbury Rd and Pincott Place has been completed now and it looks really good as well. Loads happening in the 'dark' here.

Seems theres quite a few people on the darkside who are active in terms of wanting re-generation!

Does anyone want to help set up a neighbourhood watch scheme for the darkside? I have circulated people in Revelon Rd, there are a number of people interested (about 10-20 households). The police want one scheme to cover all the roads, for which we need more people to volunteer to organise.

There is one area organiser who oversees the whole area who liases directly with the police on a regular basis.

The area organiser is typically appointed by one of the street organisers.

The street organisers themselves are responsible for keeping in contact with the area organiser, delivery leaflets to their street and acting as a point where any residents can come to to communicate any issues.

The formal requirements is to simply for us to hold a quaterly meeting where residents can come and directly talk with the police etc.

Theres quite alot of interest on Revelon Rd, and the police are keen to set up a scheme.

It means we would get those neighbourhood watch scheme signs everywhere (as a deterrant) and we get something like 10-20% cheaper household insurance amoungst other things.

Most importantly, it could act as a catalyst for improving the residents streetscape and bring the community together which according to the Assembley results suggests its something people want.

For example, if you wanted the front brickwork painted white it would cost say £400, but 10 households together could get it down to £200 per house by grouping together.

Not immediately related to setting up a neighbourhood watch scheme (which is the first step) but It should hopefully show what is possible in our little corner of London

I live westside, near you, and I like the idea of a neighbourhood watch scheme. But to be honest with you your involvement puts me off- based on racist comments you make on this blog. For that reason I cannot get involved.

I don't get the point of Neighbourhood Watch schemes - surely if you saw something happening, you'd hope your response would be the same whether you're having your hand held by a scheme or not? i.e. report it if suspicious...

I disagree that my comments are 'r' as the current debates, even on the bbc and highlighted in the tory party conference is exactly my issues raised but lets get back to the point.

Setting up a Neighbourhood watch scheme is about the community. There is no neccessity for me to be appointed as a street organiser or in any way organise things as it is up to the street membership to decide and that alone should be the basis.

If I am the reason that you do not want to get involved then it suggests that you have put either my feelings or your own feelings higher than that of the community which isn't what the scheme is trying to establish. The two can be seperate you know. If you ever get to meet me you will no doubt understand this.

I agree, i'm happy to not run it (in fact in some ways I prefer it) but often these critics are the ones who are happy to just sit by and do just nothing so its down to people like me who realise that things could easily improve.

Have a look on google or the bbc to understand what a dis-integrated community is but basically it means a lack of care, consideration for others in the community and a lack of common shared values.

I know Cat Man's comments do often overstep the mark, but sometimes it does seem that people here are very quick to criticise him personally and not his views. It's all well and good preaching tolerance, but we could all get a little better at practicing it too. I don't live on the Dark Side myself, but I hope you get your scheme up and running....

By the looks of things the BBC has listed the top 5 out of 20 or so councils with number 5 having a £5 million potential loss. Kent on the other hand rolls in first with £50 million so if Lewisham have lost anything it will be relatively small in the grand scheme of things.

Are you serious? Another specialist food shop?! Really, has the coffee shop lady lost her mind? This is Brockley, not Chelsea and even then, three specialist food shops plus costcutter in the area is ample, no? She needs to wake up and smell the organic, fairly traded coffee!

Think about the footflow to and from the station. Its a classic economic model, cover off the exits and capture the complete market.

Instead of say, having one shop one side and capturing 50% of the footflow (plus maybe some but not all from the otherside - say an extra 25% therefore 75% of the capacity) open another the otherside and capture 100%.

I for one rarely use the broca cafe now that I cycle. But if the new one has a cafe element i will be using it and sitting outside on the lovely wide pavement to read my independent (or should I say telegraph according to some).

I agree that access to food is essential, but the same thing all within the same vicinity is not clever, IMO. One of them will have to shut no doubt about it, there are not enough people in that one spot to sustain all of them and let's face it, people do not travel far and wide to visit that gourmet corner of Brockley. JPM is right, they should all start selling coffee as well, because one simply isn't enough shweetie!

Going back to the original topic, if the cash machine is attached to the PO, surely it's going to be a Link machine which is largely free, the PO would never allow a private firm to set up a paying ATM, that's pretty much strictly for petrol stations and small shops. However I thought that PO was closing? I remember that being mentioned before and thinking that it will be annoying to have to go all the way to Catford on the bike to pick up parcels...

Are we talking about the sub-post office near Costcutter or the sorting office opposite Toad's Mouth 2? If the former, I hope it's safe as the one next to the Co-op Undertaker's closed a couple of years ago and I hoped that Brockley had made its ritual sacrifice to the gods of capitalism.

If, however, the sorting office is genuinely under threat, I may have to chain myself to something. Where is the next nearest sorting office? As a non-car owner I'd have a long trek to pick up parcels. I'm not convinced there is any threat, though, as surely we'd have heard?